All quiet on Earth
by Wolfund
Summary: Earth is only a small world inside the universe, let's see what happen when Chozo decide to poke it. Also Hurray for the 30 years of Metroid. Please let a review, I don't bite.
1. Arc 1 Chapter 1

**July 2010**

The door opened and he walked inside my «home», in a single smooth motion. I have to say, the first thing that reached my mind was not his strange bird-like appearance, nor his costume out of a monastery with his black robe and hood, but the smell of hot food. I watched him carefully put down the tray on the table, never making sudden move nor sound.

He then gestured for me to come and sit in front of the meal. I followed his order without making a fuss, I already know that I cannot do anything else. So I did sit in front of a hot steak with fries, my stomach grumbling, after all, I was kinda hungry.

I feel a clawed hand on my face, I didn't hear him move, it's a far less terrifying fact when you're inside a six per eight feet room, and in a few seconds, the lock of my mask clicked open.

That sound, that little 'click', was the most beautiful thing I ever heard in ages. That mask have kept me from everything, As much if not more than the fact that I'm in a cell a hundred of feet underground with nothing to read, nothing to write, nothing to listen, nothing to see and I can't even speak or sing or EAT correctly because of that fucking mask they strapped me with.

«A young face like yours should not look as broken and lost.» He has a soothing voice, his hands on my shoulders. I can hear the small smile in his voice. «Eat, nothing will disturb you.»

I don't know when I began to tear's up, probably after the first bite. God how I missed that smell, and that texture, and that small drop of juice running in my mouth. He gently pats my head will I continue to half sob, half eat.

They were so afraid of me doing something that the only thing that I was allowed to have was cold soup.

He continues to pat me will speaking gently, as I sob harder clutching my head between my hands.

I don't know how long we stay like that, me head in hands, sobbing, Him patting me and humming. My mind was blank during those few minutes filled with the misery that has built up inside me about just how unfair the world was.

Everything that has gone wrong with my life to get me here, and anger, a deep voracious anger.

I wanted to sob and to punch every single member of the prt in the face and that little fucker, I should not have used my power on him, but god did it feel good now and that I should have done more.

I know that fucker ruined my life either way. I never wanted to hurt anyone, and now I'm charged with sexual assault and attempted murder ? When THAT LITTLE BITCH stalked me for months ? That he wanted to BLACKMAIL ME ? That I signaled every single one of them to the police who didn't do shit ?

«FUCK THEM ! FUCK THEM ALL !

FUCK THOSE PRT PRICK AND THEIR SHIT BOWL SOUP !

FUCK THOSE JOURNALIST !

FUCK THE PROTECTORATE !

FUCK THOSE COPS WHO DIDN'T DO SHIT WHEN I NEEDED THEM !

FUCK THAT ASSHOLES WHO RUINED MY LIFE !»

After that I simply screamed incoherently, I didn't stop until Bird man spoke to me in a cold voice.

«Do not damage yourself further, it's not worth it» I have to take a deep breath to calm myself, before looking, slowly, around me.

In my blood rage, I have made quite a mess in the room. The bed was in shatter, the chair have bend when I used it against the wall, the table and everything on it was all around the room on the floor, and a blood mark on the wall where I hit it will all my strength. Only the Bird man standing in the middle didn't seem affected, he even looked genuinely worried about me.

«What do you want ?» My voice sounds hoarse from all the screaming and misuse. It also sounds harsher than what I wanted, but I blame it on the pain slowly crawling inside my brain.

«To get you out of this ... place» He waves his hands to show the stat of the cell. «And to let me give you a new goal in life, but I will have to explain it later on when we are in a safer place and far away from here. After all, you have a saying, walls have ears, right ?»

Wait what ? Is he not a member of the PRT ? Is he currently busting me out ? Why do the prt don't come rushing and screaming before foaming us ? Did he kill them ? What will he do to me if I refuse ? Wait how does he's not influenced by my power now that I think of it ?

The face I made is probably very funny since the bird man laughed before walking out of my cell.

«You should come, after all, I already 'busted you out'» He continues to laugh and I tentatively followed him. If I was, afraid and surprised until now, it's sheer disbelief at what I'm seeing, that currently make me stop dead just outside my cell.

The sun was high in the sky it's light nearly blinding, the wind was carrying the smell of the ocean, I could also hear the cry of a seagull in the distance. It's so peaceful. I never imagined seeing anything like that again in a long time.

The bird man is a few meters away a long staff in hand, unconcerned by all that. He turns to face me than say.

«If you follow the beach toward the south you will find a road in fifteen minutes or so. That road will take you to a small city if you want to go back. I, on the other hand, will go north, where I will await you to my ship. If you want to find a new meaning to your life and a few of the vast secret of the universe. Come find me.» He begins to walk away

«Wait, what's your name ?»

«Ah yes. Maybe I should have begun with that»

He bowed to me before continuing

«I am Osprey, a pleasure to meet you miss Mcabee.»

After that he walked away, letting me alone on the beach. Taking the decision to follow him or not was relatively easy, I didn't really have anywhere else to go now. I'm a criminal.

So I walked in the general direction he indicated to me. I didn't have to walk that long before finding him again, with a ship.

Well ship, It looked less like a ship and more like a submarine, 30 feet long maybe 5 high for what I can see. It was also bright yellow and the bow was red with an avian look. He must really love that theme ...

Osprey was sitting on the top of the «ship» near the open hatch, looking at the ocean and waiting.

Am I really sure that I want to go with, well, him ? I mean he still kidnapped me, busting me out and leaving me with a choice that is not one since I can't turn back to live a normal life. The very first second the PRT grab me, I will return to another cell maybe even the birdcage.

That last thought made me shiver and push me to walk the last few meter between me and the ship.

«So, made a decision Hatchling ?»

Osprey didn't even turn to speak, his voice carried by the wind coming from the ocean.

«I don't really have a choice, right?» My voice sounds less harsh than before but still bitter. This time, Osprey turn fully to face me, even if still towering hover me, before speaking again.

«Of course, you do. You could walk away, return to the hand of your PRT ...»

«Yeah, of course, I can ...» I reply with as much anger I can muster.

«Hatchling, it's very rude to interrupt someone, you should reign on yourself.» He said will pointing is staff in my direction, wisely I shut up, the guy have a submarine and an armor under is robe, his staff is probably some tinker tech weapon.

«Or you could also try to create a new life for yourself, do you really think every cop will go looking for a young woman like you? When have they far better things to do? pluck those feathers out, I know it hurt, but I also know you can do it, die your hair leave the country.»

«I want to sing ! I can't do that if I have to watch my back every single moment of my life !» I screamed, ready to burst into tears again.

«What would stop you ? It's your dream isn't it ?»

«Every goddamn hero will try to stop me, a villain will try to control me, people will fear me. What's the point of singing if nobody listens.»

«Even when none listen to the song of the singer; He still listens.» He said that like he's announcing some great truth of the universe. What the hell ? my ... whatever he is ... is trying to placate me with philosophy ?

Before I can respond, he jumps off the ship, landing a meter away from me.

«Hatchling» How can he smile with a beak ? «I give you a choice to make, I promised you help that I will give you and I also require your help. Our time is growing shorter and shorter, so will you come in ? Or will you stay here looking at the ocean ?»

So that's it, well I guess I did come here to escape the prt, I will just have to continue that way.

I walked past him, climbed on the top of the ship before sliding inside the hatch.

A blinding flash of white later and I'm inside the submarine. And it was mostly what I was thinking, Full of thinker tech things.

It's also strangely spacious, I expected pipe and narrow walls, when in fact, the interior was a single big space without any wall nor any sort of old and rusty pipe.

In fact, the ship has a distinct sci-fi feeling, the walls were of a clean, pristine even, gray color, with no apparent rivet. The living space has a shower, some big tube with transparent glass, I'm not gonna shower with no walls and transparent glass that's for sure, and just beyond bunk beds inside the wall. Even the «cockpit» feel like it's out of some sci-fi movie, with all the holographic display in front of the two pilot seat and the two huge tear drop shaped, probably the 'eye' of the avian bow, windows.

Another bright light interrupted my inquiry, and Osprey was at my side. He walked next to the bed before popping open a hidden closet and placing his hood and staff inside.

«Well, welcome inside my vessel, the Ou-Qua. You can take the top bunk, a cabinet is to it's left. I have taken the liberty of retrieving you some clothes and personal effect, I supposed you would like that. You can guess where the shower is, but it will not be needed for the short jump we have to do.»

Wait, personal effect ? Before I have the time to think more on that, Osprey power walked the five step between him and the pilot. Curious I followed him, after all, we are in a submarine and I will have all the time I want to see what he did «retrieve» for me.

Osprey was going fast between each display, and it was like the ship was coming alive a little more after each touch, low rumbling beginning to come from the machinery in the back. All the will he chirped, and I have to admit he did chirp nicely.

«Take a seat our departure is imminent.» I have a distinct feeling that he's smirking.

Well first time in a submarine, I guess I should sit in the copilot seat right ? It's not an everyday experience.

With Osprey still doing is tinkerthings, I choose to look at the multiple holographic displays in front of me. They are not that big, most are just a little bigger than my hand, with a green color, some sort of writing and display of the submarine.

Suddenly the pad between the two seat light up, I just have the time to discern the strange writing before Osprey chooses one and the writing changed to display a green and blue ball.

He then pushed a button on another panel, revealing a lever at his side, then looked at me.

«We will have time to speak during transit, it will only take three hours.»

«Where are we going ?»

His eyes light up with amusement before he slammed the lever down, the ship launching forward, and beginning to move UP, faster and faster. THAT'S NOT A SUBMARINE !

«SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE»

I screamed very loudly, he laughed as much.

A.N : So first story in a long time and also first story in english. Posted on first.


	2. Arc 1 Chapter 2

I think I stopped screaming just after we passed the moon.

It was a surreal experience, looking outside just to see a sea of endless stars and the moon quickly growing on our left side. Do we have a left side in space ?

I didn't have time to muse on that question since the travel between earth and the moon didn't take more than threes minutes. And just after we passed the moon, my pilot activated another lever and we 'jumped', I don't have another word for what happened, out of the system.

And now where I am, sitting on my chair a glass of water in my hand. And that idiot looking pretty smug with is a bad joke in the other chair.

«Well now that we are in a more secure place. I think it's time we speak frankly.»

«Where are we going ?» I ask in a very faint voice, god job girl, look like a complete fool between now and the screaming.

He simply clicked on the central pad, a hologram rose from it, flat at the beginning, but quickly becoming a three dimension one, until a green and blue globe was between us. A few grey dot here and here, with small hieroglyphic writing next to them, also adorned the globe.

«This is Silenus, It's a garden world a few hours away from Earth. And to be more precise, this is our landing spot» One of the dots began to shine a bright red, its scripture expanding out of the globe to become a small holographic display on his own, with even more writing. «The Smela outpost is the closest we have in this sector, it will also be our meeting point with the others.»

«The others ?» Why did it feel like I'm diving into something FAR above me ? Well even MORE above me than it already is ...

«Yes, our mission is very ... delicate, you could say. I already have recruited a few asset on earth, they are preparing the ground for the rest of us. Anyway, I suppose you have some questions, right ?»

I nod, hesitantly. I just have far too many to count right now. Good news, I'm not angry anymore ! Bad news, I'm even more scared to death than before !

So I go for the first and easiest question I have in mind.

«So you're a big alien bird ?» NOOOOOO, not this one ! Stupid brain !

He blinked at me a few times in pure confusion, before settling to laugh heartily, facepalming.

«Yeah, it's not funny ! It's a legitimate question !» I huffed

He apparently doesn't care much about what I think since he's laughing even more now. Okay maybe it was funny, I laughed a little too. Eventually, we calmed ourselves, but not before he moved to the living space to retrieve two glasses of water from another hidden compartment.

«Yes, I am a Big Alien Bird» I swear I did hear the capital letters, he offered me the glass that I accepted with a small, grateful, nod. «To be a 'little' more specific, I am a Chozo.» The central holographic display lit up once more showing off another bird like Osprey.

«Our species is very old and very advanced, we have outpost and worlds in five different galaxies.»

This time, it was a collection of galaxies showing up, I recognized the milky way from my time in high school.

«Normally we should refrain ourselves from meddling with a primitive affair, but in this particular case, we cannot, as a living being and Chozo, turn a blind eye on what it is happening back there on earth.»

Primitive ? yeah I guess for a multi galactical species we are a little backwater, but being labeled primitive in the face is really well ... insultingly true ... I guess I know how native American felt when the European began to settle America ...

«What's happening ? And what did it have to do with ...» I waved my arms «... this ?»

The hologram returned to earth, also creating two figure one man and one woman.

«Earth is your home, a garden world type-6 like thousand exist across the cosmos. BUT earth has something other don't have, a sapient species, you.» He pointed a clawed finger a me «Sapient species are rare and they are all unique in some ways. Togomil live mostly until the world they colonize die, Alambic can speak telepathically between stellar systems, et cetera.»

«What's ours ?» I asked with curiosity, after all, it's not every day that you have an outside point of view of your entire race.

«Resilience.» Osprey said without any hint of hesitation. My surprise apparently showed itself on my face since he explained, will the hologram change to show multiple old newspapers from the world's wars. «I know of only three others species that have to know this level of destruction and war before having multiple worlds, your species stick to its rock with an amount of force and determination than astonish more than one Chozo. Your capacity to survive against the odds are so out of the norm that fact alone has been a study case for more than a century.»

I don't know how I feel about that ... Have we been studied by aliens ? for centuries ? I'm not really in a position to argue, but I'm even less comfortable than before.

«Rest assured, we don't influence species that don't reach a certain level of comprehension. It's recipe for disaster otherwise.» He paused for a second to drink. «Anyway, Earth has gone completely off track, the natural evolution of your entire species have been altered at a scale so high it's difficult to visualize it. We suspect an outside, not a benevolent one, influence and it is of grave concern to us. We hope to find who did it, and for what purpose.»

Newspaper of the last three decades appeared on holo, endbringer, emergence of heroes, mass murder, civil war in Africa powered by capes and other unsavory things on display.

«And in what does that concern me ?»

«Your power over your fellow human can be really useful for the mission. This is why I have taken you with me.»

I was suddenly angry, very angry. Who the fuck did he think he is ? An alien fuck all over my life because he needs my power ? FUCK HIM !

«So you are like the prt then, just wanting my power uh ?» I said ice dripping from my voice.

A long sigh was my response. He simply sat here looking at me with a hint of ... sadness ? Who did ...

«Miss Macbee, your case would have been a fair case of self-defense with how things went, in any recognized court with a multi-species law. Chozo Law would have thrown your aggressor into jail on the ground that he did force you to use your power on him, you would simply have a fine to pay for the medical bill.»

And that was it, my anger vanished instantly. Just like that. It was, I don't know, the prt was ready to throw me in jail and on the other hand 'galactic law' has on my side ? I started laughing. Just how unfair of me to have been born a primitive human, maybe on one of those another civilized world I could have continued with my life, singing all the way.

The silence after that was a little awkward, he didn't want to push me more about my power and I didn't want to think of my time in jail. Think brain, give me something ! ...

«Could I ... hum, maybe later, visit one of those places ?»

Great job brain ! Ask other idiot question !

The concerned look in Osprey eyes was so thick that I was worried to suddenly fall over, sick to the bones. He chirped something to himself before his posture relaxed.

«Yes, Elysia is not that far and I'm due to visit a friend here anyway. We might have to visit other worlds during our mission if needed.»

What really ?

«Hum ... How ... What kind of place is Elysia ?»

«Well it's a gas giant, so Elysia doesn't have any surface, just the core far undercloud. Only the upper layer of the planet can be breathed so we have beginning to build an outpost there a century ago.» He paused to think a little, one hand on stroking his beak «Elysia don't have any kind of life if you except the Elysian and us. What marked me the most on this planet was the sunset.»

«What about it ?» I couldn't help but ask. Aliens worlds !

«Elysia have a revolution around its star that last around 453 Earth days give or take a few hours, and an Elysian day last around a hundred Earth days. So sunset took weeks to complete giving a very ... ethereal look to Elysia, truly a magnificent sight to behold.»

Sunset lasting weeks ? Gods that must be the place to go for romantic Chozo, I giggled at that, though.

«And what about Silenus ?»

He made a small and smug smile at that. How can he look so smug and smile with a beak ?

«I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I assure you it will be ... quite the change.»


	3. Arc 1 Chapter 3

After that, and for the remaining time of the 'jump', I asked a few question about Osprey and his people.

And it was a fascinating experience.

Here I am, Paige Mcabee, tried for sexual assault and attempted murder, making a successful first contact with alien being. Take that Fucker ! I laughed out loud and Osprey looked curiously at me from the pilot seat, before returning his attention to the ship control.

From what I gathered from those hours of discussion is, the Chozo are ancient and one of the most advanced species in a *just a few* galaxy, emphasis on Ancient. They are older than humanity, and by that, I mean older than the first monkey that will become a human one day. Scary.

And they live for millennia ... Osprey himself is more than six hundred years old ... To say that my eyes were out of their socket was being polite. They also have a knack for very advanced genetic and continuously better themselves with it.

Also, they are deeply spiritual, Osprey tried to explain to me, but frankly I didn't really understand his talk about different planes of existences it was really confusing. Each his own, right ?

What surprised me the most was not the fact that we, humans, have been studied by them (He assured me no human was harmed with humor, they mostly stick to satellite study), but that we are, under galactic law, considered a Chozo protectorate, and into the effective defense grid of the Jovian and Turian governments until we can protect ourselves, their fleets ready to jump in the solar system at the first sign of invasion.

Aliens protecting us during centuries from outside danger ... That was quite humbling. And also concerning if they are now stepping up into Earth.

Of course, everything was not bright either. Racial tension where high between some species, others have huge internal problems and the galactic law was more law that everyone used out of convenience more than a true set of law, no unified governments either. The Chozo themselves were slowly retreating from the scene, he didn't elaborate more on that.

Overall it was so much different from Earth, yet so much the same.

Something like half an hour before we arrived at our destination he excused himself, as much as one can in a one piece ship, to attend the ship.

Will he was doing ... Whatever he's doing, I went to investigate what kind of 'personal effect and clothes' did he take for me.

So, I walked in front of my 'space alien closet', wondering how exactly opening it. I just pressed my hand on the closet, trying to find some hidden mechanism, when it suddenly opened. I swear that I did not scream, no Osprey I did not that's just your old brain malfunctioning.

Anyway, Osprey has been very eclectic in his choice and I'm actually grateful that he was. A few spare clothes, including my favorite jacket, it was a present from mom after my first concert, my guitar, a few books even one of our photo album. Some tears in the eyes later, I was repacking everything.

Looking at Osprey, still absorbed into some holographic display, I couldn't help, but feel thankful. He freed me only for his mission, I still don't know it by the way, but at least he took care of me having something to remember mom, dad, Kelly, Philip and Rebecca and all the others too. I only ripped apart the one where Fucker was. No big deal.

«Miss Mcabee, we are three minutes away from our destination, I am taking the long road especially for you.»

I returned to my seat with ... Excitement, a lot of it, after all, I'm going to be the first human on another planet !The last minutes were very very long, Osprey didn't hide is amusement at seeing me fidgeting impatiently in my seat, I, of course, glared at him, daring him to comment. Which made him snicker and chirping to himself.

«And ... We're in, in 5, 4, 3, 2 and ...» Suddenly the strange pitch black and white outside was completely gone.

In its place, a green and blue ball with white streak that is quickly growing in front of us, only half illuminated by the local red stars. It was ... Beautiful.

The ship began its acceleration toward the planet, and with every passing second I could turn the generic color into differents shades of blue, ocean I assumed, and green and big white fluffy cloud.

I think it's at this point I started to have a big goofy smile on my face, no shame.

Before I could discern the world below us more clearly, Osprey dived at full speed into a giant cloud, before making loops in and out of the clouds, jumping from one to another under a purple sky. I didn't feel the acceleration, but I was glued to my seat screaming, at first of fear than pure joy.

At one point some strange creature began to fly with us, it was some sort of strange mix between a bird and a bat, a big ball of white fur and yellow beak for its body and the leather-like wings. It was also as big as our ship.

The creature played with us, even sometimes taking the lead will Osprey humored him and following into those aerials acrobatics.

After maybe ten minutes of this aerial duet, Osprey began to dive down this time to the surface. The bat/birds creature letting us go after one last loop.

A wall of white, then suddenly the surface.

We in the middle of a mountain chain, white snow covering them, peaks inside the clouds above us.

But it didn't last more than a few seconds before we shot out of the mountains, not even a hundred meters of the ground, the sky above us now clear, letting the purple sky and sun shining.

Osprey was even more right than what I was thinking.

The surface was a field, a field of blue grass with blue trees here and here.

I could see a herd of curious animals, they looked like deer's, if deer have grey scale shining in the sunlight.

We synchronized our flight with the flow of a green river below us. Grass letting place to forest and hills.

At this point, I was barely restraining myself to glue my face on the windows. Small flocks of animals running on the riverbank.

«Hatchling, look.» He pointed at something in front of us.

The Argonath, Chozo version. They were easily seven hundred feet high, in white stone for the flesh parts and dark stone for the armor and clothes

«Our greatest general on the left, Morphnus» In his hands the same kind of staff Osprey used. His armor was also more preeminent than the other one.

«And our greatest philosopher and his nest mate, Noctua» the most preeminent things about this one was the giant globe in her hands.

After we passed them, we find ourselves in the middle of a narrow canyon. That didn't affect Osprey that much since he slalomed along the canyon for the hell of it. I was enjoying this ride greatly.

In less than a minute the canyon opened itself again, letting place to a giant basin, with a lake and even an internal forest.

But that wasn't important. The temple was. It was like the two Argonath, Gigantic.

«Your people don't build small, right ?» I asked in a daze.

«Nope,» I could hear the humor dripping from his response.

Maybe fives hundreds of feet tall, build like a gigantic European cathedral with less gargoyle and more Chozo statue. And made of brown metal and translucent glass.

«How many people are in there ?» I asked with worry

«Three or so hundreds, but they will not bother you do not worry. We have a part of the temple for us alone.»

An entire part of this building just for us ? Holy ...

Osprey guided our ship to a small platform. And before I know it, we stopped moving.

He shut off all holographic display and stand up.

«Come now. A don't worry about your things, someone will take them to out quarter later on. Just be sure to always have this on you.» he's opened his hands revealing a small necklace. «It's a universal translator, created by the Alambic, I have learned a few human language, but the others don't.»

Necklace in hand, something jumped at the front of my mind.

«Wait what about bacteria, virus ?»

«Don't worry about that, the hatch have a decontamination process and the water you drink sooner was a cocktail full of nanomachines that effectively give you a secondary immune system against 95% of sickness out there.»

I was angry that he didn't tell me about that, but well maybe he tried to not make me feel stressed even more than I was.

So, I put the necklace on. A quick look at myself to see with everything was in the right place and looking good. And then I followed him outside the ship.

The temple was really big and I was so engrossed in it, I almost crashed into a Chozo. At first, I was thinking that was Osprey. But, the owl-like head in front of me, looking at me with curiosity and amusement, dissuaded me from that. He began to speak, I understood what was saying, but I clearly hear in the background the chirping sound he made will speaking. It was a very strange impression.

«Hello Hatchling of Earth, I, Strix, welcome you to our humble city and offer you nest in our nest at a gift of friendship.» He bowed to me, claw opened in offering.

Quick brain speak of something great !

«Hi ... Hum ... It's a big temple.» Fuck you brain ! «Hum, I mean it's a nice one, but he's big, like really big !»

Pure, utter silence ...

Then Strix began to howl in laughter, will Osprey was audibly facepalming. I simply become as red as humanly possible.

An : As I said on spacebattles, this story was originally posted on the 30 birthday of Metroid, so Cheer's !

Also, I would really like to have reviews, I want to progress with my writing skill so criticism his welcome :)


	4. Arc 1 Chapter 4

the platform where we landed was actually situated next to our private quarters, so we didn't have to deal with «the noisy spaceport on the other side of the temple», Strix was not supposed to be here but he needed to speak with Osprey about something important.

So he chooses to take the time to welcome me in a pure Chozo and, apparently, universal tradition, sharing embarrassing story about a common acquaintance.

«I tell you, we did have to pluck out every single one of his feathers after that.» Strix was waving his hand in the general direction of Osprey, will I was giggling all the way.

«To my defense, I did escape the Garnmol.» Osprey tried to defend himself

«Yes, ''escape'' by rushing inside a sewer to let the smell drive it off?» With no success.

The interested rolled his eyes «I was Ten! What did you want me to do?»

We were seated inside the common area of our quarters, with glass of waters and a fruits basket between us. Our table and chair were made with masterfully crafted ochre wood.

The common area itself was more tall and long than wide, hell I could probably do looping inside with flying power if I could avoid the big tree in the middle of course. One side, the one leading to the landing pad, was only composed of an invisible shield wall to let the light in and an easy access to our garden.

«Well, if you can stop embarrassing me in front of my charge, what is so important for you to come all the way from Torion ?» Apparently, Osprey didn't want to turn around the bush anymore with how serious he sounded.

Strix looked at me for a second before getting up.

«The situation in the Vekus bordure is becoming more volatile every week, Oraka wants your input since you know the area well, he is awaiting our call.»

And they switched both into some sort of deadly serious mode, it was a very strong reminder that they are both very old and experienced.

«Miss Mcabee, explore our quarter at your leisure but do not go in the temple for now, nor use the green doors. you could lose yourself inside and I prefer for you to rest, you did have a long day after all. I will come back later on.»

Both powers walked outside, the door closing behind them, letting me alone.

«So... I suppose it's time to go adventuring right ?»

I began by the common area since I didn't have the opportunity to do so with our little chit chat.

The door by wich Osprey and Strix used was flanked by two statues depicting Chozo warrior with their staff crossed over the hexagon door, it was ten feet high and fifteen wide. Pretty big but, it make sense, that's the front door of our quarter after all.

It also has a strange glowing blue field on it. The others have one too, two of them are green. I guess it's some sort of security measure, I have seen Osprey touching it before the door opened.

Deciding to test my new theory I walked to the door, not before taking a purple fruit with me, no idea what it is, but it tastes like melon and looked like an apple. And then I remembered that they warned me about getting out ...

In the end, I decided to go for the first door I could reach.

I stopped just in front of it, from that close I could see that the blue field was faintly pulsing. And good god the door itself looked sturdy enough to withstand a punch from Alexandria.

They looked a little out of their element now that I'm thinking, I mean the entire room look like a piece of Art, each statue, engraving and giant tapestry would have its place inside a museum ! The brutish looking doors next to them is a little unsettling.

I guess it's a Chozo things ? Osprey robe was finely crafted but his armor and staff looked like rugged things made to survive everything thrown at them.

I could ask him later.

Raa focus my girl, I looked at the door again, now I have to open it.

«This is Paige Mcabee, greatest explorer in front of the unknown, I will now try to open the glowy door, wich me luck central!» I giggled at my own weak joke, before sobering ... I'm alone here ...

I touched the door hesitantly, It opened at the very instant my finger entered in contact with the blue field. And like with the front door, the field retracted itself before the proper ''opening'' happened.

«And I'm ! ...» I looked around for clue before letting out a long sigh «In an honest to god kitchen...»

Why did I bother to explore in the first place if it just to find the local kitchen, why not the giant library, the laboratory, hum maybe not this one, or even an art gallery ?

Anyway, I walked inside, disheartened but still curious.

fridge filled with meat, fresh colorful fruits, and fresh strange vegetable. Drawer containing plate et cetera ... Yeah, not the discovery of the century. At least the knife and fork were a little more interesting with their handle shaped for the four clawed hand of the Chozo.

I walked outside and to the next door.

This time, It was a storeroom, filled with stones slabs and half-finished statue and engraving.

Wait a minute, that's not a storeroom, there tools on benches next to the half done one, It's looking more like a workshop ?

Well, I guess we have TV to fill our hours, Chozo have stonework and engraving to pass time and by judging by the sheer number of them they have time to spare. That's strange, but hey, it's alien it doesn't need a reason.

The next room actually make me stop. I looked inside then looked again to the small holographic display saying my name on the right side of the door.

It's a bedchamber, the wall facing the exterior the same kind of shield than the one in the common area, letting the light in and an absolutely magnificent panorama of the valley below. It even has a small balcony just outside the shield.

One King sized bed takes one side of the room along with a desk on one side and a wardrobe on the other, the opposite wall is taken by what look like a library. And a small bathroom with everything that's needed.

And the same kind of decoration than everywhere else, statue, engraving depicting thing's I have absolutely no idea and rich tapestry.

«I am perfectly fine living in this place, after all.» I giggled.

After jumping and rolling in the bed for the best part of the next ten minutes, I decided to look inside the drawer, maybe there is a surprise ? like an armor ? That would be amazing !

But no, just my own things, I should have known ... Wait ... how did they find themselves here ? A yes the balcony can be walked in and out without any kind of problem, I guess a Chozo simply has flown inside with my things...

The desk is actually some sort of holographic computer that lights up when I came next to it, but it's written in Chozo and I have no clue how to use it.

The library face a similar problem, each holo are written in a language I have absolutely no clue what they are, there is even one in 3D! What kind of alien writes in 3D?

Oh, there is a few material book, but they are written again in alien...

So I have another nice decorating wall... I hope they can translate them into English.

The last room on this side of the common area is also a bedchamber, probably Osprey's, but since I can't read the holo I'm not sure.

Passing by the fruit basket, I walked to the opposite wall. The two room opposite to my and Osprey room where also bedchamber. The One facing the workshop was bigger and the true storeroom.

It was filled to the brim with metal crate, and strange device, a few looking suspiciously looking like a sci-fi jet bike. I didn't find anything else interesting so I exited this room. I should ask later if they were true jet bike, that would be awesome!

The last door didn't open to a room but a long corridor.

After a minute of careful internal argument, I chose to see where this was going and turn around if it was taking too long.

That precaution was rendered useless by the fact that the corridor was only leading to a vast and empty room, that looked like a training ground, not even a minute away from the common area...

Well, that was, less exciting than I hoped, it's not that much different from Earth. With more decorum, yes, but since I have actually no clue what most things are about, I could just say that they were beautiful.

In the end, I find myself facing the shield separating the common area from the garden. That was the last place to explore for now.

I was more engrossed with Strix story when we walked by, to be truly observant of the garden and I wanted to correct that.

Munching another of those applemelon I stepped outside.

The Sun was still high and the sky a vivid purple with here and here a white cloud drifting by.

I followed the same stone path that we used but, this time, I approached slowly to observe the curious plant and tree.

The most prominent color was the blue, followed by the brown of the tree trunk. Flower used all kind off color even some I have never seen in my life, small flying creature leaped from one another.

They looked like a hummingbird, just scaly. They were also less fearful than birds since they didn't stop foraging when I passed by them.

When I happened to come to a junction I chose the one that stayed in the garden, the other going to the ship.

It leads me to the edge of the garden, a long balcony with a few bench and the view of the valley bellow us.

I guess this marked the end of my little exploration.

I sat on one of the benches.

Nothing else to do.

...

And It finally hit me.

I was LIGHT YEARS away from home. At the mercy of people, I never heard of, I know nothing of. It was very much like the cell.

I hugged myself and cried.

I can't hear mom voice saying that everything will be fine.

I can't have dad hugging me with is strong arms.

I can't speak with my friends.

I can't do anything.

...

I simply sat here letting time melt away as I cried softly.

Until something hard bumped me in the leg.

I blinked, the lizard blinked.

It roared cutely before bumping my leg again.

I laughed softly.

«Hi, trying to cheer me up ?»

The ''lizard'' was the size of a large dog, dark and large spiky scales covering from the head to the tail with a vicious barbed end. And small ochre scales on its belly.

His jaw was quite strong judging by how it looked, I could see the muscle moving just under the flesh! And he didn't have any lips so I could see directly its teeth and they really looked dangerous with how sharp they seemed.

I was not so reassured now ...

His cross-shaped eyes, however, looked at me with curiosity.

«Oh, that is a Drocil.»

The voice of Osprey was coming from my left, where he was standing a few meters away from me.

He didn't look at me, politely letting me time to erased the tears, but, at the creature in front of me. Who in turn looked at him with the same curiosity it gave me.

«They are quite a ferocious creature, they are also really curious... We constantly found young one like this inside the temple gardens.»

He walked next to me before sitting at my side.

The Drocil looked at us tilting its head from one side to another. It was rather cute if I was honest with myself, he looked like a lost puppy. With a barbed tail.

Then a detail suddenly jumped in front of my eyes

«Wait you mean they grow bigger than this ?»

Osprey chuckled before responding.

«Oh yes, they grow far bigger, you could use an adult as a mount. This one has maybe 6 months, he will be an adult a year from now.»

He used his staff to play with the Dorcil, who jumped around like my dog ... I winced at the memory.

«Drocil scales capture and store ambient energy to build up the power necessary to an organic electromagnetic cannon that shoots bones. They can discharge it at any given time, it is their main hunting and defensive technique. They also have quite the stamina and can run for an hour at a rapid pace. »

«Electromagnetic cannon? That's very dangerous! And you let them wander inside?» I exclaimed

«The common equivalent of the deer here have tank grade scale.» He replied calmly, this explained things... «This planet was a radioactive desert less than two hundred years ago, you could say that habit dies hard.»

What ?

«Did you ?» I waved my hand in the direction of the valley.

«Of course.»

Holy shit. This place was a radioactive wasteland ? Just how advanced are they ?

Osprey stood up and started to walk back to the temple.

«Come now, we need to feed ourselves and you should sleep. It was an eventful day, and tomorrow we will begin your training.»

«Wait !»

He looked at me, inviting me to continue with a wave of his hand.

«What do we do with the Drocil ?»

He stroked his beak, exactly like in the ship, before responding.

«Well, it will be a good enough companion I suppose.»

What ? I looked at the Dorcil, who looked at me, mirroring my own surprise and puzzlement.

A.N. This chapter was fun but difficult to write, but less so than the next one. Since I reworked most of the end of Arc1 they will be two chapter and one interlude before we can go forward.


	5. Arc 1 Chapter 5

**Five Earth months later.**

We were looking at each other from opposing position in the middle of a maze of metallic pillars, beams, and platforms, ready to launch ourselves at each other at any moment.

I know now that this will be a difficult battle, yet I am determined to stand my ground.

He jumped the four-meters gaps separating both of us, landing without a sound, his staff, moving so violently that his armored hand screeched on it, trying to hit my head.

I deflected his strike with my own staff, using the momentum I gained to swipe at his legs.

Seeing my attack he retreated out of reach at the top of an overhanging pillar. The opening of one bulbous end of his staff and the hiss of plasma bolt barely giving me any warning before I had to run.

The following deluge of fire fell around me, grazing my armor and leaving its energy shield beeping and falling down slowly, small pools of plasma fuming all around me where the shot landed.

I rolled behind a wall before using my own weapon to replicate, firing as fast as I could, making my opponent jump on another platform still above me.

He climbed higher, letting me no choice but to also start to ascend if I didn't want to be pinned down.

I jumped on top of a pillar before using my momentum to launch myself on a narrow beam going up. Barely keeping my balance. I ran along it before using my grapnel to run on the nearest wall, keeping myself out of his line of fire.

I landed on a platform at the same time that he jumped on It.

"Your tactical thinking have progressed, very good."

I nodded at the compliment and he launched himself at me in another powerful jump.

His first strike was a thrust to my jaw, I deflected it and replied by lunging inside his guard trapping his weapon between my torso and staff will the other end stroked the top of his head.

He kicked my knee, forcing me to make a hasty retreat. He pursued me relentlessly, raining blow after blow on me. I barely deflected most of them.

The powerful blows that landed were painful even with the armor and shield active, proof of the strength behind each and every one of them.

I clenched my teeth, take a higher guard before going on the offensive again.

The exchange continued. Sounds of metal hitting metal, flash of energy shields and armored feet moving on the ground where the only sound that one could hear.

Until suddenly He tried to retreat, I moved to take advantage but it was a trick. He lunged forward, disarming me in a single move before viciously kicking me in the stomach making me fall to the ground. The hiss of a preparing plasma bolts in front of my eyes signaling my defeat.

"Miss Mcabee you are still falling to the empty fade, do not lose yourself in the routine of battle, a sudden and unexpected move like this one will get you killed"

Osprey disengaged his weapon before letting me raise myself off the ground. The training room around us changing its configuration to become once again an empty room.

When we exited from the corridor leading to the training room, Liz trotted toward us, nuzzling her head against me and making a deep rumbling sound.

I removed my helmet, before petting her, smiling.

Liz was the female Drocil I was given as a pet by Osprey. After five months she was now the size of a big lion, she also began to shoot bones. Wich was ... very impressive.

The first time I have seen her done it, I jumped out of my skin.

We were outside of the temple when a herd of those armored deer passed two hundred meters away from us. Her entire body locked itself in a perfect horizontal line, powerful muscle rippled along her body, then she opened her jaw and she fired.

I was thankful for the sealed helmet and it's acoustic management, the sonic boom would have otherwise deafened me.

The deer she fired on was thrown back and fell to the ground but quickly got up and started running away. Armored deer indeed.

Otherwise, Liz was acting like a curious dog, a very dangerous one but, I really have come to care for her. And she cared for me in her own way when I was feeling down and alone, bumping her head against me and rumbling.

She's not the only one who changed, I too was not the same as before. The training and gene therapy has made me far stronger than I was ever been.

Our day was simple, training in the morning, meditation before noon, half of the afternoon inside the lab to do power testing and the rest was free for me to do anything I wanted.

I passed that time reading my library after Osprey gifted me with my armor that comes with is own translator, the downside? having to wear the entire set to have the HUD on. And singing, Chozo loved my voice, since my power also doesn't work on them I could go all out, I usually sang for a couple dozen each time every five days.

I even learned a few Chozo song, the most human-friendly at least, and sang in tandem with others Chozo. Wich was AWESOME !

I also assisted to Chozo choir and those were truly the most impressive song I ever heard in my life

Overall the life was ... nice, I was feeling homesick, lonely and I wanted to see my family again but, the Chozo tried their hardest to make me feel welcome, having to take care of Liz also helped me a lot.

I even made a friend with a young Chozo named De'la, she was very funny to be around, asking a lot of question about any kind of subject, my explanation of how human reproduces work will probably leave me with nightmares for the rest of my life when she explained how a few others sapient species do the deed.

Power testing was something I dreaded a little. It was like everyday Osprey found either new way to torture me or to terrify me with how my power worked.

One of the first things we confirmed was that my power simply doesn't work on any kind of alien life, Osprey was not really surprised already suspecting that capes power were tailored to the human body and human mind. A gigantic experiment, we were simply teste-tubes.

Osprey was understandably concerned with this sort of discovery when I said that I paid to have my power. He tried to unlock my dazed memory, with his tech, to gain more info but we didn't see anything more than the metallic corridor, masked people and power testing.

Osprey said that since he knows, just at the top of his head a dozen species with natural morphing ability seeing human was not a proof of that they were. In fact, he was now convinced that they were probably not when we discovered that the source of my power was also acting like an inactive relay to somewhere.

It's at that point that he mandated me for gene-therapy. For the first batch, they used Drocil DNA to severely damaged the relay rendering what I was transmitting gibberish, a month later they physically removed my corona pollentia before further modifying it, making it more efficient to use my power, then they replaced it inside my brain.

To say that I was not happy to have it inside my brain now that I know what it is was, to put it mildly, awful but, necessary.

My power has given me so much with my singing career, popularity, it helped me make friends, my family happy, being more independent and mature.

Until it comes crashing down when my power turned against me because of Fucker and everything was taken from me in one form or another.

Liz placed her head on my lap when the glass in my hand cracked, I took a deep breath and calmed myself.

What was now useful was my capability to have a closer relation with Liz. My power worked a little on her so we could have a limited mean of communication, mostly composed of deep rumbles.

It was her DNA they used in the gene-therapy, I guess it makes us sister, very strange relationship. Well, it apparently stopped from not snuggling, as much as a four hundred kg scaly beast can, in my king sized bed to sleep next to me.

_

Today was special, it was our last day in the temple, we were going back to Earth in just a few hours.

I was anxious, excited, fearful but, also sad to end my time on Silenus.

Everything was neatly packed, what could have fit inside a small bag on my first day have grown to now take two small crates and a bigger one for the bike, that were being loaded inside our ship.

Osprey also packed his stuff since he's coming back on Earth with me.

He will be in charge of this operation, our mission ? very simple, study power, find where they come from, assess the threat and probably bomb everything to hell.

For that, the Chozo and Osprey used favor they owned with a few government to help us.

A turian patrol fleet will be stationed on what is called on Earth Lalande 21185, ready to jump into the solar system to assist us just in case.

The Jovian government landed us one of their special operative that has already been on Earth to prepare the terrain.

Luminoth and N'kren landed us two full-time research team that will operate from the temple on Silenus.

One Elysian is making the travel with us on Earth.

And Alambic created special items to prevent against telepathic aggression.

Most of those things were already here, Osprey was with the Luminoth and N'kren team, will the Elysian, I still didn't see him, was inside on the ship overseeing the loading.

I was alone with Liz on the balcony at the end of the garden. I looked in the distance, basking under the strange sky of this world, a home away from home, for one last time before going back on Earth.

The sound of feet on gravel signaled the presence of Osprey at my side

"Miss Mcabee, It is time to go" His hand reposed gently on my shoulder

"When everything will end, could I take my family here ?"

"Of course Paige" I looked at him surprised, it was the first time he called me by my first name "Family is more than blood and flesh, your family is our family, they are welcome here as much as any other Chozo. Here take this."

He extended his hand and opened it showing a small medallion, a silver, and stylized S inside a red circle with a silver outline.

"This is a sacred symbol for us. Any Chozo door will open in front this."

I nodded before hugging Osprey. He laughed uncomfortably will petting my back.

"Come now Miss Mcabee, It is time to return to your world, are you ready ?"

I smiled

"Yes"

A.N.

Their is only one chapter left for the first arc and one interlude.

This chapter was incredibly difficult to write, because of the training scene, finding the right flow of words was a complex exercise, I hope it was pleasant to read (if not please say it, I prefer to rewrite a small combat scene than something like an endbringer fight xD)


	6. Arc 1 Chapter 6

The ride to Earth was smooth, without incident and I passed my time discussing with the Elysian, who responded to the mouthful name of "Skylight descendant of the First", luckily I would only have to call him Skylight.

Compared to Chozo in general, he looked truly alien. Bulky torso with thin arms, hands with very long fingers, a single ''leg'' that was, in fact, a hovering system and his head was a hologram projected a few inch away from its neck.

He was an artificial intelligence member of an inorganic species, build by the Chozo to help them in Skytown on Elysia. Even if I know intellectually that the people of Osprey were capable of incredible feats, having a living and talking proof in front of me was something else. It made me feel very small indeed.

Compared to Osprey, Skylight was stern and to the point, apparently AI conceived emotion and expressed them differently than us meat-bag.

"Skylight we are close to Earth, could you come helping me with the maneuver ?" Asked Osprey.

"Of Course Leader Osprey."

Skylight floated to the copilot seat, He didn't actually sit in it, simply hovering in place, hands extended toward the holographic instruments. Those began to move so fast they become an indecipherable blur.

I walked behind Osprey seat, a hand resting on its top. Liz even waking up to see what was so interesting.

"Jump Complete In 5,4,3,2,1. Jump Complete."

And we were inside the solar system, the moon just above us.

"Stealth System In Optimal Condition, Launching Preliminary ..."

I stopped listening to what Skylight was saying at that point. Most of the information were directed to Osprey for the landing.

Me ? I simply basked in the vision of a slowly revealing Earth.

The brown African continent was the first I recognized even when it was upside down, fluffy cloud moving around. The European was the second, less visible from our position.

Our ship launched forward at high speed, Earth becoming bigger in seconds.

I was smiling, I was coming home, Liz pressed her head against me with affection.

We flew in the direction of North America, diving into a storm above the Atlantic to improve on our Stealth.

"Operative Ythel Is Transmitting The Landing Coordinate."

And just like that, my good mood disappeared, I could not go home right away, now I will have to help save this world.

I blinked ...

I never imagined in my wildest dream or nightmare too, one day, utter those words, "to help save this world", I only wanted to be a great singer, that was and still is my dream.

But, now that I know a certain degree of the truth, how could I not try to do something ? Even if I do only little to help ?

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, right ?

I was not a good person, and I strongly disliked the ones who calls themselves "Heroes" when they are not. But, I could not do nothing, sat in a corner, weeping, letting the world die around me.

When I learned about the wider universe, all kind of alien life, living on an alien world, and now being partly alien myself between Liz DNA and my Corona, forcefully made me realize just how truly insignificant I am, and Earth was. It gave me perspective.

When I was huddled inside my cell, jaw locked by a mask, Aliens generals, scientist and politicians of multiple species were deciding the fate of Earth.

We were just a world in front of the infinite, what could we do? What could I do ?

I was broken out of my line of thought when the American west coast was in sight, we were going considerably slower now and flying barely a few feets above the ocean.

"Where are we going exactly ?" I asked.

"Coordinate Place Us 15 Klick Away From A Secondary City Next To Boston, Brocton Bay" replied Skylight with his mechanical voice.

"It fit our mission parameter, a secondary city with a high number of empowered humans, a probable high number of trigger events, the perfect testing area." Supplied Osprey

Either for us or our mysterious interloper goes without saying.

So, Brocton Bay hum? The infamous capital capes of the United States. Not a bad place to began our work.

We were now above some woods close to the city.

"Landing Zone In View, Begin Landing Maneuver"

Osprey was good with the ship, but with Skylight as copilot, they made a perfect landing.

I exited from the ship with Osprey and Liz, Skylight will use is drones to discharge the ship and he didn't need to be distracted by us.

The clearing was small barely forty feet in diameter, just enough for the ship and the white truck that awaited us. A fat man awaited us, cigarette in hand.

He walked toward us and started to morph.

"Right on schedule, always a pleasure to work with you Osprey."

The body fat melted, clothes disappeared, skin color changing to a translucent horizon blue. Leaving a female like body, if boobs and high pitched voice mean anything for the Jovian at least.

Her face looked like a human one, with a lighter and denser shade of blue than the rest of her body, on top of her head some sort of ponytail made of the same things then the rest of her body.

And more disturbing I could see her internal organs and the truck behind her. I tried not to stare too hard, forcing myself to look at her face.

"Ythel" Osprey said with a smile and warm voice. They hugged each other. "My favorite Jovian in this quarter of the galaxy."

She punched him in the arm, I smiled at their banter, they looked like close friends.

"Please, just a quarter ? I'm wounded." She looked at me and Liz. "So this is the human cape ?"

"Yes, this is Paige Mcabee" he began will she whistled "Her power can be quite useful and I trained her myself, she will not fall behind."

"You have made a stir here. The local populace was in an uproar after your escape. a load of bad press for the PRT and protectorate. Fun times"

I smiled a little embarrassed, I thought about that but, having someone rubbing it in my face was another thing. Then she petted Liz unconcerned by the low growl of annoyance.

"And you might you be, big scaly one?"

"It's a female Drocil, she's named Liz." She looked at me

"Liz, for lizard ?" I nodded flushing a bright red

"That was the first thing that comes to my mind." I said rather quickly, I wanted to hide in a hole far away from here. She laughed at my expression.

"Don't lose your water on that kid, I've heard worst. Glad work with you." She turned to Osprey "Someone else was not coming ?"

A flight of drone responded for Osprey by discharging crates at frightening speed. Skylight joined us by hovering a few feet away from the ground.

"Where Do I Unload Those Crates ?"

"Inside the truck, I'm Ythel by the way"

"Skylight Descendant Of The One" He floated next to the truck opening the doors and unloaded the crates in it quickly.

"Wait !" I ran after him, he turned to look at me.

"Yes ?"

"Could you let me unload my jet-bike ? I want to use it to fly around the area." I asked

He didn't respond, the crate where it was loaded simply touched done on the ground before drones opened it and let the bike outside. After that, they quickly closed the crate once again and loaded it into the truck.

"Thank you." I smiled at him and I heard a whistle behind me. Turning around I could see that Ythel looked at my jet-bike with interest.

"Chozo hoverjet, well you can't say they didn't shower you in steel."

I smiled widely, I loved piloting this thing after Osprey taught me.

"Ythel could you upload the base location ?" He asked, not a second later my own HUD pinged with the updated location. Somewhere next to captain hill. "Thank you, Paige come to the base when you have enough of your flight. Take your time it is your first time in months here after all but, please don't go overboard. We are moving."

I tried my best to not jump on him, I only authorized myself a grin.

Ythel returned to her fat man disguise before climbing into the truck and Skylight closed the truck doors behind him after Liz jumped inside. Osprey meanwhile returned inside the ship to hide it in another location near the city.

After they all left the area, I waited ten minutes looking at the night sky before I climbed on top of my jet-bike, started the engine that roared to life instantly and engaged the magnetic sole to clung to the jet-bike during a maneuver.

When I shoot out through the night sky of Earth at 150 miles per hour I screamed with joy inside my helmet.

-

A.N

Grammarly was capricious this afternoon so I hope I did a good job at chasing every goddamn faults.

This chapter marks the end of the Arc 1 for Paige, next time will be its conclusion with an interlude.

I am not satisfied by this chapter but, I didn't want to burden this chapter with base description. I just hope that even short I transmitted a good portrait of the two other alien character in this story.

If you also know your Metroid lore, you can see that worm already have multiple serious consequences to the Metroid timeline.


	7. Arc 1 Interlude ?

I was looking at the night sky outside my window, exhausted, trying not to dwell too much on how shitty my day was and the next will be. At least only one day left before the weekend, and a week before the winter holidays.

Just as I was going to change for the night, something shot out in the sky. It looked like a shooting star.

A faint and bitter smile appeared on my face. I really doubt that a wish will help me, I tried before.

It didn't work.

-

"They are making their move."

"What are our orders ?"

"Continue the operation, I will see if I can obtain more information. Your report ?"

"We still cannot find it, our efforts in this area are all unsuccessful."

"Hum... Continue, we will find it one day or another."

"Very well"

-

Two turian walk into the hangar bay of the Dreadnought _Digeris Pride_.

"So this is it ?"

"Yes general"

"How powerful the Chozo say it was ?"

"Do you remember those small power bombs ?"

"Yes ... oh ... oh spirits ..."

"I don't know what spooked the Chozo so much to give us this "just in case" but, I would, and I am, very scared. Against what are we going exactly general ?"

"This is why they are on the edge Remus, they don't know. And having that much power in my hands do not feel right either."

"They have given you the activation code ?"

"Osprey deemed me the second in command of the whole operation."

"Then I hope the team planetside will be enough to go against whatever need this."

"Indeed. May the spirits watch over us."

The old general looked one last time at the sight in front of him before turning back.

_

 **A.N.**  
And this interlude concludes the first Arc. At first, I wanted to do a Victoria or Dragon only interlude but I simply didn't see the interest, plot-wise, in retrospect.

I hope you liked reading to that point, even if nothing Earth related happened. It was, I think important to write, because I needed a little world building on the Metroid side, why Paige is more abrasive than in canon and experiment on different things. (I will probably rewrite that arc later on when my skill will have increased)

Arc 2, 3 and 4 are planned and will take to either end January / February 2011. I didn't want FF to wait too long for the interlude so I posted it here before posting the beginning Arc 2 on SB.

 ** _I still need a Beta by the way._**


	8. Arc 2 Chapter 1

**Arc 2 Welcome to Brockton Bay birds !**  
 _Chapter 1_

The sound of Liz rumbling in my ear and the sudden cool air on my skin woke me up the next day.

"m'go way iz." I barely managed to mumble, before pulling the sheet on me again.

I yelped when she grabbed me by the legs and pulled me out of the bed, before licking my face energetically.

"Stop ! stop ! I'm up !" I could clearly see the mischief inside of her eyes, with a last lick on the face she walked on the bed and laid down in it barring me all possibility of returning to my worlds of fluffy dreams.

Ass.

I looked around my bedroom, it was still very much in a mess of wire, metal plate and piles of boxes. I couldn't even begin to clean up because Skylight needed to finish working on the walls ... He would probably have launched his drone to work will I was sleeping but Osprey dissuaded him when I returned from my nocturnal excursion.

So an hour later I was outside, Ythel having literally kidnaped me after breakfast to "breath some oxygen will the boys are playing with their toys".

we were walking in silence alongside a busy street of the commercial district with Ythel at my side.

Brockton bay was a relatively nice city but, you could see the sign of recession all around, with closed shop and abandoned building here and here but, in the vicinity of our base camp and around the city center it was something you saw here and here but not that common. It was apparently worse near the old dock, completely abandoned after the emergence of Leviathan and the death of most sea-based economy Ythel explained to me after we passed yet another empty building.

We were both in our 'civilian' guise, Ythel having the appearance of a young woman with red hair and nice curve in a blue robe, will I, with my black dyed hair and sunglasses, was in blue jeans with a black jacket.

At first, I was fine, the day was young and the city was still slow to come out of its sleep, people were few and far between. I was taking a good amount of girly pleasure doing some window-shopping.

That, however, didn't last long, more and more people were out on the streets, more and more people who could see me. And I was VERY aware that people were looking at me.

When I was in the temple I passed most of my time around people that didn't look at me like I was a freak and a murderer and I mostly used the armor to go around, it was part of the training and it also makes me feels safe. I don't feel safe now.

Walking around, in broad daylight, in the middle of a human city, full of people who will probably shoot me on sight if they know who I am, what I've done. I feel naked, vulnerable, in danger.

The PRT and Protectorate were still out for my hide. I had to glance around looking for suspicious people, capes, and escape road, it's difficult when I couldn't see SHIT !

I started to breath quicker, my vision becoming less clear and tunneling. I was paralyzed in the middle of the street, my brain in overload.

I have to run, to hide, I can't stay here !

I nearly screamed at the top of my lung when Ythel gently took my hand in hers, thumb stroking the back of mine.

"Take a deep breath, you're okay, I'm with you, nothing will happen to you, do you understand?"

She speaks quickly but, softly, never letting go of my hand nor her smile like she's talking with her best friend about something exciting.

"If you walk around having a panic attack people will notice it and not the sort of attention we want or need, so calm yourself."

"But, what if..." I began but, she didn't let me finish.

"Nothing, They can't find us by how we look and how we act, your hair are dyed and don't have any feathers anymore. And if shit happens, your DNA is similar but not exactly the same of old Paige thanks to the Chozo. NOBODY can't prove shit against you if you don't use your power."

She continues to smile and her eyes reflect a mix of concern for me and about me.

"A journey in life is a journey to dompt death and its servant, fear."

Osprey voice echoed in my mind, I clung to it, eyes closed.

"But fear is something useful." I hear myself saying

I could feel the wind at the top of the cliff behind the temple, the warm of the sun on my face. I am seated next to him, overlooking the valley.

"Of course but, most creature holds it as a tool to survive. When it is nothing more than an obstacle to overcome on the road leading to death. He who overcome is fear, overcome is death and can walk the Beyond."

Deepening my breath, letting my heartbeat drop, the tension in my muscle disappearing second after second.

"The Beyond ?"

"Besides, it's not like we are preparing an alien invasion, right ?"

The voice of Ythel broke my concentration, and I looked at her, blinking. She began to laugh, letting go of my hand she slapped me in the back.

"Gods you should see your face !"

I smiled at her, all trace of panic disappearing.

"You have never been taught not to interfere in the middle of a meditation ?"

"I always sucked at those things, I'm an action girl !" She stroked a heroic pose, barely keeping her laugh at bay, will I simply raised an eyebrow at her antic.

More at ease, I glanced around. A few people looked at us funnily but most simply continued minding their own business. Great Paige, first day home and you panic over ... nothing ! What a fucking great day.

"I have trouble imagining you in the thick of things you know." I said without even looking at her.

"Oh dear, you're so naïve and innocent." she patted my cheek and pinched it playfully making me yelp.

After that, she didn't comment anymore on the subject, and since I was less tense we continued our walk deeper in the commercials streets in the direction of the Boardwalk.

I didn't have another panic attack after that, even when walking in the middle of crowded streets, thanks to Ythel presence and Osprey meditation techniques, but, I still felt oppress by them.

Around noon she wanted to eat in a restaurant she knows on the Broadwalk.

That's how we find ourself sitting at a terrace overlooking the busy street.

We passed command a while ago and were waiting for our meal passing the time by discussing Jovian culture and galactic politic.

At first, I was nervous to spoke about that in the middle of a restaurant, when she saw that she simply brushed my concern of by stating that it was her newest role-playing games and flashing me a wry smile.

"So if I follow you, you renamed your world, Jovia XII ? For convenience purpose ?" I asked surprised, waving my hand around, she nodded simply.

Whoa, I can't see us doing that, I mean Mars is Mars and always will be Mars right ? Well, I can, at least, see the need to rename the Sun something else than just Sun...

"Not our world, well not really, we simply renamed the system and every planet in it. Look at it that way, having multiple names inside a single system is pretty stupid notably when you begin to have multiple systems to govern. It's bothersome for the administration and people so, in the end, we have done like what other races have done, we renamed our sun Jovia I and planet were renamed in an ascending order. But, we let moons with their old traditional name since they are considered part of the world they orbit around in our planetary management."

She explained will sipping her ice tea.

"So if we begin to also use that system, Earth is actually Earth IV ?"

"Yep, it's pretty straight forward but, it's not like you will go around saying "I'm for Earth IV" For one people don't care wich world exactly you came from, system is generally sufficient, and two if you just say Earth people will presume it's the main world of the system, you only use the number when you want to specify wich rock your speaking about. Oh, thank you miss."

The waitress arrived with our respective meal. My mouth was watering at the glorious sight of my fish and fries and I dug into it like there was no tomorrow. Ythel simply laughed at me when she saw that before trying to eat despite her giggles.

"So what's Jovia like ?" I asked curiously when I finally find the time to speak between eating and breathing. Those fries were heavenly.

"It's a giant, hot and humid swamp." Apparently my surprise showed on my face since she continued with a raised eyebrow. "What ? Did you expect something that looked like here ?" She made a vague gesture with her hand. "Jovia is a swamp at eighty percent, there are other things of course, like mountain and plain but mostly it's a swamp. Camouflage was the best tool to survive in there. But I would not recommend visiting it as a tourist, even today it's still a dangerous place."

"I already dislike Florida, I don't think I will ever go willingly there, that's just not to my taste." She laughed at that.

We didn't really speak much after that, too focused on eating, to do much else.

From time to time I glanced at the street below, trying not to freak out, it was really animated. Hundreds of people walking around minding their own business. Unaware of our presence, wich I was thankful for, and it's significance.

It was also less symptomatic of a dying city at the verge of internal collapse and unlawfulness that was depicted by what I know and what Ythel report said.

Here restaurants were full and shops bustling with activity.

I could spot cape tourist from a mile away with how they looked around hoping to see the faintest trace of the local heroes.

Police cars were also more present, every five minutes or so a patrol passed by.

Walls were not tagged and windows not broken, there were no empty building and no closed shop.

Road and street were well maintained and if I presumed rightly the light probably all worked.

Captain hills was not as pristine than the center of the town, or as damaged than the docks but was showing sign of the recession none the less.

The sound of people cheering made me turn my head in the direction of the sound.

People were gathering next to a pair of motorbikes, probably a woman in green and black costume was waiting on one will waving her hand at the crowd. Not even two minutes later men with a bright red costume walked out of a Starbucks.

People were cheering them, taking photos and autographs.

"That's Assault in red, and Battery in green, local protectorate." Her voice drastically changed, probably her native language, since the translator necklace began to translate inside my mind. "He have control over kinetic force, the harder you hit him, the harder he kicks back and she can alter her own biology, in a very limited fashion, to do things out of the leagues of normal humans. Very similar to a Jovian. They work very well in tandem and have a bags full of tricks. Dangerous in close combat."

I nodded and a small, tiny, enormous amount of nostalgia and anger made its way into my guts, six months ago it was I who was cheered by my fans, and now ...

I couldn't keep my sneer to myself.

"We move ?" I asked turning to look at Ythel.

"We move." She said, a smile on her face.

The walk back to the base was uneventful and kinda boring. The city doesn't have any things to see except its cape population, of that two third are not the most photogenic kind.

I was actually glad to return to the base and very probably to my bed if Liz has stopped napping in it.

I at least know that I lowered my defense and stopped really paying attention, so focused on the feeling of security the proximity of Liz and Osprey could give me.

So when the "Welcome to Brockton Bay party" jumped on us when we entered a secondary and narrow alley to take a "shortcut", Ythel words, I was kinda surprised.

"What two beautiful ladies like you are doing in those dangerous streets ?"

They were five of them, two in front and three in our back. The guy how just spoke had a knife in his right hand and was bald, on his left a guy with a crowbar and a leather jacket. The three behind us used various kind of brass knuckles, from the classic to one with small blades.

"Oh dear ..." I heard Ythel whisper.

They were no escape from this situation, my heartbeat skyrocketed.

"You could us some protection you know we never know how dangerous streets can be even at this hour, against some fees, of course, and maybe more if, well, we appreciate each other." He looked at us like two pieces of meat.

"Well dear, I love having multiple dancing partners and actually..." Ythel gives him a once over, smiling. "... your kinda my type."

the others guys cheered at the exchange and get a little closer to us.

"Like we have found our jackpot, right Berry ?" said the guys with the crowbar.

"Paige, could you occupied those three boys will I relieve those two others, big boys ?" I looked at her with complete disbelief, She was going to let us sell our body to those thugs, I was on the verge of another panic attack.

Then I saw her eyes and my panic subsided.

"Of course, I could use some company too." I respond while taking a position, I hoped, suggestive.

They mostly dropped their guard and got into arms length smiling and cheering each other on those bitches in heat they just find, Berry even having is left hand on Ythel hips.

He never saw the seven-inch blade that appeared in her hand.


End file.
